Bachelor of Arts in Leadership Studies

Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine

Lead with growth and change.

If you are interested in personally leading people and organizations, the Leadership Studies degree provides a strong and versatile career path for you. You will learn the key elements of what makes an organization perform at high levels, and the skills the leader needs to implement growth and change. Your knowledge base can be applied to any sector: corporate, small business, entrepreneurship, and nonprofits such as churches and service organizations. Also, if you have a vision for a graduate degree, you will find that we offer a seamless transition to continuing your education with our Master's in Organizational Leadership or Executive Coaching & Consultation. This is a major intended to prepare you for success in the 21st century and to advance your career.

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To make life work, you must focus on character growth first, and not just the results you want in the end.

Dr. John Townsend

Personally Learn from Dr. John Townsend

Students enrolled in the Leadership Studies bachelor’s degree program will:

Join a live webinar bimonthly where Dr. Townsend and Institute Fellows conduct a training, with time allotted for personal interaction through a Q&A time.

Engage with Dr. Townsend’s exclusive training videos and podcasts created for each course.

Gain access to white papers written by Dr. Townsend for topic areas that draw on his decades of experience in leadership development and consulting.

Be invited to the in-person Symposium on Concordia’s campus where Dr. Townsend speaks along with Institute Fellows. "This event will be recorded if you cannot attend."

Innovative curriculum with flexible format.

This highly relational curriculum is biblically based, neuroscience informed, experientially focused, and integrates the latest advances in online education that are equal to and some ways superior to face-to-face programs. You will connect to your professors and classmates through biweekly virtual classrooms and biweekly homework partners. With our flexible online delivery format, you can live and work anywhere and take all of your courses online to earn your bachelor’s degree.

Transformation through relational education

If you want to grow as a person, you are in the right place. Starting with your first course, you will learn Dr. Townsend’s Competence & Character Growth Model which is integrated throughout the curriculum. You will have many assignments where you apply what you are learning to your personal life or career. As you connect with your homework partner, you review ways you are growing each week according to the Competence & Character Growth Plan that each student develops when they start the program. And our highly relational faculty are available to encourage your growth in many ways.

Info Night

Live Stream Session with Dr. John Townsend

Missed the last Info Night? Watch the full recording of our Live Session.

Hear first-hand from Dr. John Townsend and begin to understand the uniqueness of the Townsend Institute's approach to leadership, counseling, coaching, and the learning process. You will get a glimpse of how these programs are highly relational, biblically-informed, neuroscience-based, practical skills-oriented, and lead to transformative personal growth.

You will also hear about our distinctive 4-day Kick-off Conference, what classes are like, how you meet over 50 Institute Fellows, and how the 300 videos from Dr. Townsend are integrated into every class. A live Q&A session is included!

As an added bonus, the $50 application fee will be waived for all who attend the Info Night.

Accelerated Format

Upcoming Start Dates

Summer I 2020

May 11, 2020

Summer II 2020

June 29, 2020

Fall I 2020

August 24, 2020

Fall II 2020

October 19, 2020

Spring I 2021

January 11, 2021

Spring II 2021

March 8, 2021

Here at the Townsend Institute at Concordia, we understand that your time is limited. You need a bachelor’s degree option that fits your schedule and can be completed relatively fast. Students with an Associate's degree may earn their Leadership Studies degree online in as little as 24 months. The accelerated courses are only 7 weeks long and taken sequentially one at a time.

Students with fewer than 45 transfer credits may complete Concordia University Irvine’s General Education program along with their major coursework, and earn their bachelor's degree in as few as three years.

Start where you are.

The Leadership Studies major is comprised of 42 units taken through the Townsend Institute at Concordia University. A total of 120 semester units must be successfully completed prior to graduation. The additional 78 units may be transferred in as general education requirements and electives.

Leadership Studies Courses

42 Units

ACCM 100: Competence and Character Model for Personal and Professional Growth

3

Dr. John Townsend created this model which is founded on these two core principles: your Competence - increasing your leadership skills, strengths, and expertise; and your Character - the four internal abilities that drive high performance at work and meaningful relationships. Students will discover the “secret sauce” on how to facilitate significant transformation in those they lead and themselves. As a result, they will demonstrate the ability to motivate and inspire individuals, teams, and organizations.

LDP 304: Psychology in the Workplace

3

Students will survey behavioral science, performance research, neuroscience, and cutting-edge practices of what constitutes a thriving workplace. They will learn leadership skills and organizational design concepts that can implement these principles.

LDP 305: Christianity & Contemporary Culture

3

Students will evaluate sources of information for culture and theology enabling them to better answer questions concerning life issues and choices within the Christian worldview and culture. Students will examine their own beliefs and compare these to that which Scripture teaches.

LDP 312: Communication in the Workplace

3

Students will demonstrate skills for effective communication and relationship building. They will utilize clear and concise written and oral communication skills to motivate others. Students will discover the power of nonverbals and the importance of receiving and offering constructive feedback. They will learn the role audio/visual and experiential focused communication can play.

LDP 316: Leadership in the Digital Age

3

Students will comprehend how to lead teams in a virtual environment. There will be an emphasis on digital literacy (software, apps, and other tools available), effective electronic research, and current issues related to the harnessing information and communication technology for effective leadership.

LDP 355: Organizational Leadership

3

Students will analyze historical developments, theories, and cutting-edge practices in the field of leadership and organizational behavior. They will learn different styles and strengths of leadership and assess their style. Students will continue to build a repertoire of leadership competencies.

LDP 370: Leading & Motivating Volunteers

3

Students will learn the critical roles volunteers can play in an organization. They will discover strategies for recruiting, retaining and developing volunteers to maximize resources. Students will analyze different approaches for motivating volunteers as they carry out the mission of their organization.

LDP 375: Conflict Resolution

3

Students will develop leadership skills to resolve a conflict between two people, on a team and between departments. They will learn how conflict can be used to enhance relationships, make a team more cohesive and create synergy within an organization. Special attention will be given to conflict in values-and faith-based organizations.

LDP 411: Employee Motivation & Attitude Theory

3

Students will survey the top motivation and attitude theories. They will explore best practices for enhancing employee motivation. Students will develop skills for implementing these practices.

LDP 414: Self Exploration & Career Development

3

Emotional intelligence research demonstrates that self-understanding and self-management are essential to high performing leaders. Students will grow in these areas to enhance their own career development. They will learn how to capitalize on opportunities that will build skills and experiences to be more competitive in their careers.

Students will explore ethical principles involving conduct, laws, and relationships utilized by the business community including employer/employee rights, the culture of the corporation, product liability, conflict of interest, and bribery. They will assess their personal level of ethical reasoning and living a life of virtue and integrity.

LDP 490: Organization Development & Change Theory

3

Students will understand the dynamics of a healthy organization and how it is developed. They will examine theories of change and leadership skills, types of teams, and organizational culture that drive it.

LDP 495: Senior Seminar: Leadership Studies

3

This course will be a culminating demonstration of the students’ academic ability and knowledge of leadership studies through a research paper and presentation.

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Committed, Relational Faculty

Our scholar-practitioner faculty members understand their role as both teachers and mentors and strive to help students grow as people and professionals. Our faculty is comprised of professionals who have real world experience. Our small classroom sizes allow our faculty to support our students in achieving their personal and career goals. With a commitment to scholarly learning and growth, our professors vulnerably share their journey in which they integrate their faith and life experiences with their profession.

Tuition and Fees

When you maintain continuous enrollment the tuition will remain the same throughout the program. Tuition does not include the price of textbooks.

Services

Concordia University Irvine is a U.S. News Top Tier Regional University and has been named by The Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the fastest growing private nonprofit master's institutions. CUI serves nearly 4,000 students annually.